PIA Press ReleaseTuesday, January 03, 2012

Assemblies for Pantawid Pamilya expansion set

by Lilibeth A. French

ILOILO CITY, January 3 (PIA6) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development 6 will conduct community assemblies this month in four local government units in the province of Iloilo which are included in the expansion of the Pantawid Pamilya program, one of the major poverty reduction and social development strategies of the government.

The municipalities of Pototan, New Lucena, Zarraga and Dumangas are among the 11 new areas covered by the set 5 implementation of the Pantawid Pamilya program in the province. Other new areas are Badiangan, Barotac Nuevo, Cabatuan, Estancia, Mina, Tigbauan, and Dingle.

The expansion is targeting some 21,425 potential household beneficiaries in the new areas including the 167 in the municipality of Concepcion, an existing Pantawid Pamilya area.

Among the 11 new areas for Set 5, Estancia has the biggest share of potential beneficiaries with 3,011, followed by Pototan with 2,827; Dumangas with 2,642; Tigbauan with 2,576; Barotac Nuevo with 2,338; Dingle with 2,023; Cabatuan with 1,953; Badiangan with 1,240; Mina with 1,000; Zarraga with 935; and New Lucena with 713.

Data obtained from DSWD 6 showed that a total of 62,733 households in the 27 local government units in the province are already assisted in the Sets 1-4 implementation of the program which, according to President Benigno Aquino III, aside from being an initial answer to the needs of the poor is also a means to secure the future of all Filipinos.

DSWD 6 Pantawid Pamilya Program Information Officer Alma Joronadal said information of potential household beneficiaries is validated through the community assemblies.

Under the Pantawid Pamilya, poor household beneficiaries can avail of cash grants as long as they comply with the conditions set for the health, nutrition and education of children aged 0 to 14 years old.

As of December 15, 2011, the DSWD data further showed that since 2009 a total of P497, 218, 500 have already been released to beneficiaries in the province, either through over the counter and cash card. (JCM/LAF/PIA6)